IN THIS ISSUE

Cheryl's Live Healthy Blog

Recipe of the Week

Volunteer Opportunities

Healthy Tip of the Week

Articles We Found Interesting

Scientific Ways Getting Outside is Good For You

Cheryl's Live Healthy Blog

Cheryl is starting her third year of Executive Edge at Western Racquet & Fitness Club and is determined to win this year! Each week she will take you through her experiences of getting healthier and reaching her goals!!

This week she talks about the importance of sleep when you are on your healthy lifestyle journey! Here is this week's links to her blog: http://www.deperechamber.org/blog/uncategorized/short-attention-span/

Recipe of the Week

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Makes 8 Servings

Total Time : 1 1/2 hours
View recipe here.

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium carrots, sliced
3 medium stalks celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup cornstarch
4 cups low-fat milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Frank's Red Hot
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a dutch oven of water to a boil. Cook noodles until barely tender, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Heat oil in the pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Ad chicken and cook until no longer pink on the outside, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and milk in a medium bowl, add to the pot along with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until bubbling and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in hot sauce.
Spread the noodles in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with the chicken mixture; sprinkle with blue cheese.
Bake the casserole until it is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Running in Wisconsin

This Week:

Saturday, October 4th: Pink Pumpkin 5k Walk/Run: American women have a 1 in 3 chance of getting cancer in their lifetime; men have a 1 in 2 chance. This means one of your neighbors, someone in your family and several of your friends have been touched by cancer. Every year, the Breast Cancer Family Foundation is committed to reducing this risk by educating 7,000+ students and adults in our community on cancer awareness and prevention for all types of cancer. Learn more here.

Next Week:

Saturday, October 11th: Fall Frolic 5k Run/Walk: Run, jog or walk this picturesque 3.1 mile course! The flat, fast course features a paved route through wooded and residential areas during the peak of autumn. Learn more here.

The Following Week:

Saturday, October 18th: Africa Hope Run 5k/10k: Join a great race for an awesome cause - supporting the AIDS Orphans of Funsani, Malawi! The Africa Hope Run takes place on tree-lined residential streets in fall colors with jungle animal cut-outs along the way. (Jungle costumes are encouraged!) Celebrate your finish with amazing cookies, bagels, fruit and more. Wear your professionally-designed long-sleeved cotton T-shirt (featuring a unique design every year) to remember your run/walk. Feel good about helping AIDS orphans have a better life! Learn more here.

Volunteer Opportunities

Did you know that volunteering is good for the soul? It helps rid yourself of stress, makes you feel good about yourself, and allows you to meet people who you would have never met before.

September & October : Zoo Boo Decorating - Prepare for Halloween, NEW Zoo, 4418 Reforestation Road, Suamico. To volunteer, contact Angela Kawksi at 662-2405 or email at volunteer@newzoo.org.
Packer Homes Games -Parkers needed!! 6 or more volunteers are needed to help park cars for all the Packer Home games, 3 hours before the game. Perfect for all the tailgaters and fans going to the game. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old. To volunteer, contact Amy Murphy at 337-1121 ext. 1205 or email at amurphy@cp-center.org.
Terror on the Fox (September 26&27th, every weekend in October - November 1st), National Railroad Museum, 2285 S. Broadway, Green Bay, 5:45pm-midnight. Volunteers are needed for train supervision, platform, rade corssing, and parking. Must be 18 years or older to help. Wear black pants and black shirt. To volunteer, contact Kari Hinrichs at 437-7623 ext. 13 or email at khinrichs@nationalrrmuseum.org.
Beginning October 3rd: Sexual Assault Center Advocacy Volunteer Training, 300 Crooks Street, Green Bay, 6-9:30pm (Wednesdays only). To volunteer, contact Ashley Nielsen at 436-4360 ext. 1225 or email at aneilsen@familyservicesnew.org.
Saturday, October 4th: Service Day at the Bay Area Humane Society, 1830 Radisson Street, Green Bay, 9am-noon. Volunteers are needed to garden, clean, maintenance, and painting. To volunteer, contact Tanya Zwick at 469-3110 ext. 116 or email programs@bayareahumanesociety.com.
Saturday, October 4th: Neville Public Museum Summer Readers Pirate Party, 210 Museum Place, Green Bay, 11:30am-4:30pm. Volunteers are needed to set up, help facilitate maritime themed crafts and activities, and clean up. To volunteer, contact Kirsten Smith at 448-7851 or email Smith_KA@co.brown.wi.us.

Issue: #37-2014

October 1st, 2014

Healthy Tip of the Week:

Flu Shot Myths Addressed

It is that time of year again - flu shot season!!

By Tom Watkins

Flu vaccine myths can confuse people trying to decide whether to get a shot. Here are five common myths, and, based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the truth.

1. The shot can give you the flu.

Not so, says the CDC. The viruses in flu shots are killed during the production of the vaccine, which means they cannot cause infection. The vaccine batches are then tested, with a group of people randomly assigned to get either the vaccine or salt water. The only differences in symptoms was increased soreness in the arm and redness at the injection site among people who go the flu shot, the CDC found. There were no differences in terms of body aches, fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat.

Still, some people feel bad after a flu shot. Soreness at the injection site is one reason, but it usually dissipates within two days. It's caused by the immune system making antibodies to the killed viruses in the vaccine that help a person fight off the flu. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices says symptoms, in rare instances, include fever, muscle pain, and discomfort or weakness, which also typically go away after a day or two. And, though a flu shot won't give you the flu, its protection doesn't kick in for two weeks from the time of injection. During that time, you are vulnerable. In addition, it's easy to confuse seasonal flu for an illness caused by a number of other pathogens, including rhinovirus. Or you may be exposed to a flu virus that is not included in the vaccine. Finally, the flu shot does not always work -- particularly among the elderly and people with weak immune systems. But even among these high-risk groups, the vaccine can prevent complications.

2. It is better to get the vaccine later in the season to limit the risk that its efficacy will wane.

No. The shot lasts an entire flu season, except for some children who may need two doses. The CDC recommends that all people older than 6 months get a flu vaccine.

3. The flu shot might adversely affect my pregnancy.

No. The flu vaccine is "an essential element of prenatal care" and is recommended for all pregnant women, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Pregnant women are among the groups at increased risk for flu complications like pneumonia, infections, and dehydration.

Though babies cannot be vaccinated until they have reached 6 months of age, antibodies they received in utero from their mothers may help protect them. But note that the group recommends against the nasal spray - the live, attenuated version -- for pregnant women. The CDC says seasonal flu vaccine shots have not been shown to cause harm to pregnant women or their babies.

4. I've had the flu before and it was no big deal, so bring it on.

No. Seasonal flu exacts a bigger toll in some years than in others: between 1976 and 2007, the flu was linked to a low of 3,000 to as many as 49,000 fatalities in the United States, with more than 200,000 hospitalizations. There are two main reasons: The viruses that circulate in one year may differ from those that circulate in another. And, of course, people change from year to year, meaning that your response to a viral infection one year may not be the same as your response to another.

5. The flu shot doesn't work.

It doesn't work all the time, but it does confer some level of protection. For example, the CDC says preliminary data for the 2010-2011 season show that it was about 60% effective for all age groups combined, and studies for earlier years found protection rates of up to 90%.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/11/health/flu-shot-questions/index.html?hpt=he_bn2

Articles We Found Interesting

1. Ways to Boost Your Immunity

2. The WORST Diet Tips EVER

3. Ways You're Ruining Salads

4. Ways Nutrition Facts and Food Labels Might Trick You

5. Which Oils You Should be Buying

5 (Scientific) Ways Getting Outside is Good for You

5 (Scientific) Ways Getting Outside is Good for You

1. It can ease depression: According to a study from the University of Michigan, group nature walks are linked to enhanced mental health and positivity, as well as significantly lower levels of depression and feelings of stress. Had a particularly hard day? Grab a friend or your significant other for a post-work mood booster.

2. It may improve your outlook: It you're dreading the thought of spending another workout chained to the treadmill, move your run outdoors for a quick burst of happiness. A study from Glasgow University showed that people who walked, biked, or ran in nature had a lower risk of poor mental health than people who worked out indoors.

3. It could improve your focus: Can't decide where to go on your next weekend getaway? You might want to consider a trip to the countryside. According to a study published in Psychological Science

, interacting with nature gives your brain a break from everyday overstimulation, which can have a restorative effect on your attention levels.

4. It can strengthen your immunity: Fun fact! The latest get-healthy pill isn't found in your medicine cabinet - it's in your backyard! Researchers at Toyko's Nippon Medical School found that women who spent six hours in the woods over the course of two days had an increase in virus- and tumor-fighting white blood cells, and the boost lasted at least seven days afterwards.

5. . . . But you can also fake it: Of course, we can't always find the time to spend hours lounging in the grass. Luckily, you can still reap some brain-boosting benefits without leaving your house. According to a study in the Korean Journal of Radiology, people who were shown pictures of scenic, natural landscapes had heightened activity in areas of the brain associated with recall of happy memories compared to people shown urban landscapes. So put some outdoor shots are your desk or set them as your monitor background for some help in a pinch.

Source: http://news.health.com/2014/09/29/health-benefits-of-nature/

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Sincerely,

Cheryl Detrick, President
De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce